Citing Anti-Israel Bias, US Leaves UNESCO, Israel to Follow

United States Ambassador to the United Nations and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a June meeting at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem. [Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons]

This past Thursday, the United States announced its withdrawal from the bold faced anti-Israel United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, also known as UNESCO. The following is an excerpt from the United States government’s press release:

“This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO.”

The US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley had previously called out the UN on multiple occasions for their anti-Israel bias’ and threatened to pull funding for the organization.

This will be the second time that the US has withdrawn from the organization. The first time came in 1984, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, with the US citing corruption and an ideological tilt toward the Soviet Union against the West. In 2002, the administration of US President George W. Bush agreed to rejoin the organization, claiming it had gotten its books an order and expunged some of its most virulent anti-Western and anti-Israel biases.

In 2011, the United States cut off more than $80 million a year, about 22 percent of its entire budget for UNESCO, in reprisal for the organization’s acceptance of Palestine as a member. The Obama administration said it had to cut funds because a 1990s-era law prohibits U.S. funding for any U.N. agencies recognizing Palestine as a state.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hours after the US decision to leave the organization issued the following statement: “The Prime Minister instructed the Foreign Ministry to prepare Israel’s withdrawal from the organization alongside the United States.”

We thank the Nikky Haley and the US Government for refusing to contribute to the anti-Israel UNESCO.

This action for the U.S. to leave UNESCO, including the rhetoric defending our departure, bolsters my respect for Nikki Haley and this administration, while encouraging hope for the good of our own nation that we have taken a stand by both word and deed with Israel.

Israel is the only UN member whose right to exist is constantly challenged. Israel is the only UN member state targeted for annihilation by another UN member, and whose capitol city, Jerusalem, is not recognized by other nations. Israel won its four wars, yet defeated adversaries insist on dictating terms of peace. Israel is the only nation targeted by the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction movement yet ignore countries that force religious conversion, murder civilians, use capital punishment against minors, treat women as merchandise, etc. Israel is the only nation condemned in 2016 by the World Health Organization as the violator of human rights. Yet Israel provides medical assistance to Syrian, Palestinian, Haiti, Nepal, etc. Former President, Obama, failed to veto the condemnation of Israel for building homes yet did not condemn terrorism against Israelis. Israel unilaterally closed 22 Jewish settlements in Gaza? Immediately, Gazans destroyed every building, because they were owned by Jews and Hamas, was selected to lead Gazans. The world fails to condemn murdering Israelis. In Kiryat Shmona, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine assassins massacred Israeli men, women, and children. In Ma’a’lot Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorists shot and killed 22 Israeli children, 4 Israelis murdered at Sarona Mall, and, at Hebrew University cafeteria, the Hyatt Hotel, Israeli restaurants, discos, theaters, shopping malls, on buses, etc. In 2015-16 there were 150 knifings and 50 cars used as weapons against Israelis. Palestinian Charter: Article 8: Palestinians comprise a national front which acts to restore Palestine and liberate it through armed struggle. Article 9: Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. Article 15: The liberation of Palestine is a national duty to purge it from the Jewish presence. Article 19: The partition of Palestine in 1947 and the establishment of Israel is null and void. Article 21: The Palestinian people expresses itself through armed revolution, rejecting other solutions. Our press and political leaders ignore? A. The Paradise Camps in Palestinian Territories train children to practice shooting Jews depicted in mockup targets. B. The Palestinian Charter asserts elimination of Jews and Christians free Palestine (includes Israel) is our goal. C. The Palestinian Authority and Saudi Arabia pays families up to $25,000 if family members kill Israelis. D. Israel is not on any map of the Middle East in Palestinian textbooks. E. Palestinian cartoons depict Jews as despicable. F. Palestinian media spouts annihilation of Jews in Israel and worldwide. March 2011 in Itamar, Israel, two Palestinian cousins entered Ruth and Udi Fogel’s home and slit their throats; committed the same atrocity on 11 year old Yoav, his brother 4 year old Elad and decapitated 3 month old Hadas. They showed no remorse and proudly confessed committing their heinous acts. The next day candy was given to children in West Bank town squares, cheering erupted to celebrate the horror that occurred. Palestinian soccer fields, playgrounds, parks, schools, and city squares in the West Bank have been named after these and other suicide murderers. Where was the condemnation UNESCO of the Palestinians’ terror against innocent Israeli citizens?

I wholeheartedly, agree with the above comments. The US should withdraw all funding to UNESCO. Racial hatred by the members of UNESCO towards Israel is an abhorrence, a disgrace to all peoples and nations.